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Washington

Matz vote postponed for now

WASHINGTON (7/29/09)--The confirmation of presumptive National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) agency head Deborah Matz on Tuesday was temporarily postponed after the Senate Banking Committee could not assemble the number of members needed to form a quorum. The committee had scheduled a discussion of Matz’s nomination to the NCUA board for Tuesday morning’s executive session, but the committee chairman, Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.), put off the discussion after his committee did not have the number of senators needed to begin a vote. Sources close to the issue have told News Now that the delay is related to scheduling conflicts and that her expected confirmation is still on track. If confirmed, Matz will serve on the NCUA board for a second time. Matz gave an indication of how the board would function under her leadership in a nomination hearing held last week, telling legislators that she would maintain the "critical arms-length relationship" between a regulator and the regulated while ensuring that credit unions remained conscious of their commitment to consumer protection, member outreach, and financial education. It is not known when the committee will next discuss the nomination. However, while members of the House will likely leave for summer recess at the end of this week, the Senate is scheduled to remain in Washington through next week. Senate Banking Committee members could also vote on the Matz nomination if the chairman calls for a quorum and vote while the members are gathered in the Senate chambers for other official business. Matz's nomination, if approved by the committee, would move on to the full Senate for confirmation.